[Congressman Billybob]

Nothing I am talking about makes anyone "a criminal." Taxes and fees are all civil matters, not criminal ones. And nothing that I suggest would directly cause anyone not to cross a border. Instead, it is designed to get the Mexicans to start paying attention to what's happening on THEIR side of the border.

One point you make is correct. What I suggest would cause the price of goods in the US to rise. The reason is that more Americans would be employed at American wages to produce goods, rather than America being awash in the cheapest possible goods -- but produced overseas.

Alexander Hamilton, in his seminal work "On Manufacturing" recognized just such a process for the purpose of protecting American businesses and jobs. We cannot continue to have it both ways -- cheap foreign goods without limit, plus protection of American jobs. More of the former necessarily means less of the latter. This is a basic, public policy choice that Congress has, so far, avoided making.

John / Billybob

[Gritty]

I like your idea. Like any good idea, it has a monetary component which addresses the market as well as the court.

Speaking of monetary and political incentives, it has long been my belief we should not be deporting illegals to the nearest border town. If they're Mexican, we should be putting them on board ships and dropping them off on the far side of the Yucatan Peninsula, say on the beach at Cozumel or Cancun. From there it is a loooong way back to the US border. It would greatly discourage a re-run, or at least a hasty one. Plus, the Mexican government certainly wouldn't want the embarrassment, the costs and all the tourists inconvenienced (lots of dollars involved there).

Whatever. Something effective has to be done about this problem and soon. The politicians seem to be too gutless to do it. These problems are gutting our country. It just isn't worth it to get lettuce picked at 10 cents a head cheaper or jeans for $12 instead of $15.

[texastoo]

"Nothing I am talking about makes anyone "a criminal."

True, however we are dealing with a very corrupt government. Mexico definitely would not agree with this.

My solution would be to put a tax or fee on the money going into Mexico via remittances before Fox does. This would discourage the illegals from sending it home. Therefore, this money would be spent in the US to help our economy. Also, some of the illegals would take the money home and stay.

However, I really think our country is gone. I don't think either government is going to do anything to stop this invasion. Bush certainly isn't going to stop it.

http://www.el-universal.com.mx/pls/impreso/noticia.html?id_nota=1642&tabla=miami

However, not all has been lost. Look at how much we got going into Mexico yesterday. It took 12 hours to count!

http://news.mysanantonio.com/story.cfm?xla=saen&xlc=1088159

[Celtman]

This is a basic, public policy choice that Congress has, so far, avoided making.

      Have to disagree.  Congress has repeated made the choice - the wrong one, of course.

[Brian Allen]

<< We cannot continue to have it both ways -- cheap foreign goods without limit, plus protection of American jobs. >>

Who are you to call yourself "we?" Are you related per chance to Al-qaeda "Sonny" Goreleone and but another in a long line of dangerous dullards? Or are you simply keen to give poor America yet another example of the adage that states "the power lust is a noxious weed that florishes only in the vacant lot of empty minds?"

"Protection of American jobs" is one of totalitarian fascisocialism's tiredest of the tired clich?s.

What on Earth happened to you [And to trade Luddites like the once seemingly quite bright pj buchanan] to cause you to feel yourself competent either to dictate who must do what work -- and where -- and to dictate who should pay how much and to whom and for what.

Please stick with the lighthearted -- the lightheaded doesn't become you.

And God forbid that you ever be given or take upon yourself the power to impose your well motivated but mindless and un-thought-through "selective" totalitarianism on FRee Americans. You will not, thank God, be ever permitted to other than delude yourself about the outcome of YOUR "special and different" Shop only here! and Work only there! and Only at that job! dictatorship -- but in case you ever wonder what would have been the outcome?

Think of the Soviet Union.

And please stick with making us laugh.